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Should Baptist Churches .....

K

ktn4eg

New Member
..... hold a "Super Bowl viewing service" instead of their regularly scheduled Sunday night worship services?

The thread on the Super Bowl led me to pose this question:

Since the Super Bowl is scheduled to be played on a Sunday, do you believe it is proper for a Baptist church to do away with its regularly scheduled Sunday evening worship and Bible preaching service and, instead of that, devote the entire service exclusively to watching the Super Bowl (including whatever advertisements--and whatever other 'goings on' is included in the half time)?

In other words (and this is from the church's bulletin): "You can leave your Bibles at home on February 2 because instead of preaching/teaching from the Bible, our church will use its high definition wide screen projector to carry the entire Super Bowl, along with both the pre-game and post game shows."

Comments?
 
Salty

Salty

20,000 Posts Club
Administrator
First of all, we do not have a regular scheduled Sunday evening service. (I normally work Sun evenings)

However, we are having a Soup or bowl service. (legally you cant all it Super Bowl)

We will be using it as an evangelist tool. Instead of viewing half time - we will be having a devotion time.


Leave your Bible at home - HOGWASH!!!
 
Archie the Preacher

Archie the Preacher

Member
Well, what about...

You got me. I must confess, but it's not Super Bowl.

I like to watch the Indy 500. But it is always - these days anyway - on Sunday morning, about the same time as the morning worship service. It used to was, I would always consider skipping church 'just this once' to see the race. But I wouldn't; I'd be in church.

However, since I moved to Nebraska, the race now starts at 1100 local time, so I can get home at just after 1200 (I live but about four blocks from church) and see most of the race.
 
T

thisnumbersdisconnected

New Member
Our church suggests, and for years we have followed through, each Sunday school class getting together for snacks, the game, and some fellowship at halftime -- in other words, turn off the TV and talk to someone you don't know very well. This helps build relationships within the church body that can be developed further, so that when ministry needs to be done within or outside of the church, there will be enthusiasm instead of excuses, like "I don't know anyone, I'll feel awkward."

This is one reason, obviously not the only one but among them, that our ministry outreach and our ability to respond to in-church needs has increased so dramatically over the last few years.
 
S

saturneptune

New Member
The answer is, each church is autonomous, and each local church decides for itself. However, having said that I am not shy about giving my opinion. We have three hours of church a week and one hour of Sunday School. That is four hours. I spend about four hours driving a van route, three hours preparing for a Sunday School lesson, and maybe five hours visiting, outreach, administration, and other miscellaneous tasks. Total it up and that is sixteen hours. I did leave out the time praying, reading the Bible at home, and BB. Anyhow, the point is, the Lord gives me 168 hours per week and I have Him around 20 at the most. A pew sitter on Sunday morning gives about an hour a week. We can get all the way down to those who come only Easter and Christmas.

So lets put this into perspective. God asks for our worship and praise for a little bit of the time He gives us to live, and we have the gall to make a three ring circus out of one of the times we worship him, in this case Sunday night. What does a multi-million dollar corporation that spends millions on either immoral commercials or commercials that promote worldly desires have to the with worshiping the Lord. So lets give up an opportunity to worship God so we can see a bunch of men carry a odd shaped ball over an imaginary line.

If one has any respect for worship and praise, why not just stay home and watch the idiots run down the field. Either that or record it on a DVD recorder.

Look, the stadium is packed. The crowd is excited to the max. I can feel it in the air. If the subject of this event was the Lord, the seats would be empty, there would be no cheers, and the only thing one would feel in the air is boredom. So, as Christians, lets tune into the worldly event of the year, and cancel church. Sounds like a great idea to me.
 
Salty

Salty

20,000 Posts Club
Administrator
saturneptune said:
The answer is, each church is autonomous, and each local church decides for itself. ...
Click to expand...

Okay, Sat - If I was to say on a Sunday night our church wanted to have a bachelor party for the pastor and we was going to have a girl jump out of a cake- and do whatever they do after they jump out of the cake.....

Would you still give me the same answer - NOT -of course not. You would say what we were planing was WRONG!

The basic question in the OP is "is proper for a Baptist church to do away with its regularly scheduled Sunday evening worship"
Anotherwords is it worng to so do?

Apparently, you do - and I can respect that.

But, I would like you to comment on my statement that during the halftime we will be having a devotion - and that we will be using it as an evangalist tool.

Salty

Go Dallas!
 
S

saturneptune

New Member
Salty said:
Okay, Sat - If I was to say on a Sunday night our church wanted to have a bachelor party for the pastor and we was going to have a girl jump out of a cake- and do whatever they do after they jump out of the cake.....

Would you still give me the same answer - NOT -of course not. You would say what we were planing was WRONG!

The basic question in the OP is "is proper for a Baptist church to do away with its regularly scheduled Sunday evening worship"
Anotherwords is it worng to so do?

Apparently, you do - and I can respect that.

But, I would like you to comment on my statement that during the halftime we will be having a devotion - and that we will be using it as an evangalist tool.

Salty

Go Dallas!
Click to expand...

It gets back to what your local church thinks is proper to do. Yes, having a devotion during halftime is better than not having anything related to a worship service. Hopefully someone during the devotion during halftime will be touched by the Lord to come to faith in Jesus Christ.

I guess a question that comes to my mind is why is the Super Bowl an exception to sporting events during church? What is different about that than the World's Series, NCAA basketball championship, the New Year's Bowls, the Stanley Cup, or the Olympics?

If you are going to pick out a team, you could at least pick the Saints, Packers, or Titans.
 
G

go2church

Active Member
Site Supporter
Don't have an evening service, so no. Some do an outreach with a video of a coach or athlete at halftime. Don't usually worry about what other churches do or don't do, enough on my plate already.
 
Salty

Salty

20,000 Posts Club
Administrator
saturneptune said:
It gets back to what your local church thinks is proper to do. Yes, having a devotion during halftime is better than not having anything related to a worship service. Hopefully someone during the devotion during halftime will be touched by the Lord to come to faith in Jesus Christ..
Click to expand...

Let me ask you this question. If you were a member of a church that did decided to have a Soup or bowl - would you leave and join another church?

saturneptune said:
I guess a question that comes to my mind is why is the Super Bowl an exception to sporting events during church? What is different about that than the World's Series, NCAA basketball championship, the New Year's Bowls, the Stanley Cup, or the Olympics?.
Click to expand...

World Series & Stnley cup - for example is a minium of 4 games; Bowl gamaes - there are several.

saturneptune said:
If you are going to pick out a team, you could at least pick the Saints, Packers, or Titans.
Click to expand...

I can guarentee that the Cowboys will NOT loose in the Super bowl.
 
J

Jacob_Elliott

New Member
ktn4eg said:
..... hold a "Super Bowl viewing service" instead of their regularly scheduled Sunday night worship services?

The thread on the Super Bowl led me to pose this question:

Since the Super Bowl is scheduled to be played on a Sunday, do you believe it is proper for a Baptist church to do away with its regularly scheduled Sunday evening worship and Bible preaching service and, instead of that, devote the entire service exclusively to watching the Super Bowl (including whatever advertisements--and whatever other 'goings on' is included in the half time)?

In other words (and this is from the church's bulletin): "You can leave your Bibles at home on February 2 because instead of preaching/teaching from the Bible, our church will use its high definition wide screen projector to carry the entire Super Bowl, along with both the pre-game and post game shows."

Comments?
Click to expand...

My church considered doing this a few years ago, but it was brought to the pastors attention that this was illegal or on the border of being illegal, so we decided against it. Personally I cringe at the thought of missing on opportunity to hear the word of God preach because of football.
 
Salty

Salty

20,000 Posts Club
Administrator
Jacob_Elliott said:
My church considered doing this a few years ago, but it was brought to the pastors attention that this was illegal or on the border of being illegal, so we decided against it. Personally I cringe at the thought of missing on opportunity to hear the word of God preach because of football.
Click to expand...


The NFL has made some concessions for churches

1) must be in your regular church building
2) No admission
3) TV can be no bigger than 55 "
4) May not use the NFL (or any team ) logo on advertising

Click here for link
 
Y

Yeshua1

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
ktn4eg said:
..... hold a "Super Bowl viewing service" instead of their regularly scheduled Sunday night worship services?

The thread on the Super Bowl led me to pose this question:

Since the Super Bowl is scheduled to be played on a Sunday, do you believe it is proper for a Baptist church to do away with its regularly scheduled Sunday evening worship and Bible preaching service and, instead of that, devote the entire service exclusively to watching the Super Bowl (including whatever advertisements--and whatever other 'goings on' is included in the half time)?

In other words (and this is from the church's bulletin): "You can leave your Bibles at home on February 2 because instead of preaching/teaching from the Bible, our church will use its high definition wide screen projector to carry the entire Super Bowl, along with both the pre-game and post game shows."

Comments?
Click to expand...

We have 9:30 am and 11:00 am services, and on super bowl sunday, we have parties in individual homes, usually each cell group gathers for food and game!
 
Jerome

Jerome

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Our 'team' lost over and over at the stadiums in the early centuries.
Can't imagine what the martyrs would think of today's churches voluntarily embracing such a trashy spectacle.
 
Earth Wind and Fire

Earth Wind and Fire

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I personally dont think there is anything wrong with having a Super Duper party at the church providing it doesn't substitute regularly scheduled services. Wouldn't that be considered a fellowship event?
 
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